Inspectors call for safety improvements at Hartlepool Power Station
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has told Hartlepool Power Station that it must improve following recent safety assessments.
ONR has placed Hartlepool Power Station in the “significantly-enhanced regulatory attention” level after identifying a number of areas at the EDF-controlled site that needed to make safety improvements.
Both ONR and EDF have assured members of the public, however, that the power station remains safe to operate.
Dan Hasted, ONR’s director of regulation for operating facilities, said: “When required, we place sites into significantly-enhanced attention to achieve improved performance in specific areas.
"This is a key part of our role as an independent regulator.
“EDF is committed to delivering a range of improvements at Hartlepool, and we are overseeing this.
“Through our enabling regulatory approach, we are working constructively with the licensee to ensure all these issues are addressed.”
Regulatory attention levels are set by ONR based on an assessment of overall performance, and considers a broad range of safety and operational factors.
A spokesperson for EDF said: “Hartlepool power station has been a vital part of the Teesside community for more than 40 years and it is important to note the ONR has been clear that the site continues to be safe to operate.
"Last year, we agreed an improvement plan with the regulator. We have been making progress against that plan but understand the ONR feels that some more focused attention is required to support that.
"What this change means is that the regulator will visit the site more regularly and carry out additional inspections.
"We are committed to working with the regulator to ensure it is content that improvements required are being implemented.”